Círdan

Template:Tolkienchar

Template:Spoiler-about In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Círdan (IPA: [ˈkiːrdan]) ('ship-maker' in Sindarin) the Shipwright is a Telerin Elf, a great mariner and shipwright, lord of the Falas during much of the First Age. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf.

He had a beard, which is rare for Elves; but he was of great age at the time of the War of the Ring (15,000 years estimated), being perhaps the oldest of all the Elves remaining in Middle-earth, and one of the few (if any) prominent Eldar who survived from the great journey to the blessed realm (the First Age) to the present. Círdan had grey, or silver, hair in the third age of Middle-earth, like his overlord and kinsman Thingol.

His 'true' name, according to the tradition among the Sindar of Doriath, was Nōwē (IPA: ['nɔːwɛː]) in the form it had in the original tongue of the Elves. It was never used after his settlement in Beleriand and thus has no Sindarin or Quenya form (in the latter it could have become Nówë).

The First Age

Círdan was among the Elves who awoke at Cuiviénen, and who was of them all perhaps the most wise, and also the most cautious. When the three chiefs returned from Valinor, they told their people to come from Cuiviénen and to go there.

Many groups of Elves broke away and formed the Nandor and the Silvan Elves. Elwë, Olwë and Elmo continued on their journey, and so did Círdan, with many of the Teleri behind them. Twenty years after they first left Cuiviénen, they entered Beleriand. They were behind the Vanyar and Noldor by a very long distance. On their way to the western shores, they passed through Nan Elmoth, where Elwë and Melian, a Maia, met and fell in love. After Elwë fell away from the Journey, his brother Olwë led the remaining Teleri now, though there were fewer than there were when they left for Aman.

Círdan was with Olwë when they came to the shores of Beleriand, and there the Teleri built ships, for the Noldor and the Vanyar had left three years earlier with the help of the Valar Ulmo. Ossë and Uinen befriended the Teleri when they reached those shores, and they helped them as well as they could. After the ships were built, in a final attempt to find Elwë, who had been lost unto them since he had entered the woods of Doriath, Círdan and a small band of elves sought him once more. Many Teleri chose to live on the shores of Beleriand, rather than cross the sea. Yet Círdan was insistent on travelling to Aman, even if it was himself alone. Some few chose to go with him, and he set about the task of building a vessel to bring them there. On the night before their departure, Círdan had a dream in which he received a message from the Valar.

And the voice warned him not to attempt this peril; for his strength and skill would not be able to build any ship able to dare the winds and waves of the Great Sea for many long years yet. "Abide now that time, for when it comes then will your work be of utmost worth, and it will be remembered in song for many ages after." "I obey," Círdan answered, and then it seemed to him that he saw (in a vision maybe) a shape like a white boat, shining above him, that sailed west through the air, and as it dwindled in the distance it looked like a star of so great a brilliance that it cast a shadow of Círdan upon the strand where he stood.

The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - Círdan," p. 386

Círdan obeyed, and did not try to pursue Olwë further. Ossë had persuaded some of the Teleri to remain in Middle-earth while Ulmo drew all who were willing across the Belegaer for the second time. Yet Círdan lived among the Teleri who remained upon the shores, and became their lord. They stayed in Falas. They called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People, and became known as the Falathrim. There at the Southwestern shores of Beleriand began the building of the cities of Eglarest and Brithombar. Círdan was their lord, and it was at this time that he took the name Círdan, meaning 'Shipwright', instead of his original name Nōwē. Perhaps he did this in defiance of the message of the Valar, or perhaps in honour of it. They lived in Falas for a very long time, and in time Círdan regained contact with Thingol, whose kingdom of Doriath was now well-known in Beleriand. Círdan was considered a kind leader, and the lives of his people were peaceful, and were centred around with the sea. They were mostly mariners, though some were weavers, minstrels, or shipwrights.

The Falathrim lived peacefully for many years, until Morgoth began to wage war. Then they began to prepare for war and make weapons. The Elves of Doriath and Ossiriand and Aulë's dwarves joined their defence against Morgoth, and the Dagor-nuin-Giliath was fought, in which Fëanor was killed. Three war-filled years later, the first sunrise filled the sky, and with it came the Noldor, led by Fingolfin, Finwë's second son.

Círdan's warriors fought at the Dagor Bragollach, though they did not make up any part of the force at the Siege of Angband that held Morgoth in check for close to four hundred years. When at last that siege was broken, Morgoth's armies took Maglor's Gap and the Dorthonion, allowing his armies to pass into the rest of Beleriand. When rumour reached Círdan, he marched with his warriors to the aid of Himring, a fortress held by Fëanor's eldest son, Maedhros. During that battle, Fingolfin was killed in single combat against Morgoth, who was himself wounded in the duel.

After that, Beleriand was pushed into the defensive by the onslaught of Morgoth's armies. Fingon, one of the sons of Fingolfin, was besieged at his fortress of Barad Eithel, and it was because of Círdan's ships that the enemy was defeated. The battles continued in a similar way, but in Doriath, the events recounted in The Lay of Leithian were underway. After Beren captured a Silmaril from Morgoth's iron crown, hope spread throughout Beleriand.

In the spirit of this hope, Maedhros created the Union of Maedhros, a union of Elves, Men and Dwarves against the power of Morgoth. Círdan supported this union, and pledged his Falathrim warriors to this cause. The Union gathered support across Beleriand, and at last Maedhros and his allies made war against their enemy, intending to overthrow the Dark Lord. Yet Ulfang, the Easterling lord who marched under the banners of the Sons of Fëanor, betrayed them upon the battlefield. Bór however, who was an Easterling chieftain himself, stayed loyal to the Union and aided them in what little victory they attained that day. Though they were ultimately defeated, many survived and fled to the havens of Eglarest and Brithombar. Among these refugees were the people of Tuor and Eärendil, and Círdan taught them the craft of ship building.

Meanwhile, the mariners of the Falathrim had a different task. With their swift boats they attacked the coasts held by the enemy and crushed them in small raids before returning to the safety of their ships. With his other enemies defeated or driven back, Morgoth turned his attention to Círdan's havens. In the year 473 of the first age, Morgoth...

"...Ravaged all the Falas, and besieged the walls of Brithombar and Eglarest. Smiths and miners and masters of fire they brought with them, and they set up great machines; and valiantly though they were resisted, they broke the walls at last. Then the Havens were laid in ruin, and the tower of Barad Nimras cast down;"

-The Simarillion. Second Edition. 'Of the Fifth Battle'. p. 196

The remnant of Círdan's folk were forced to flee by ship to the Isle of Balar, where they created a refuge and maintained a small fleet. As time passed, Círdan regained control over the lands around the Mouth of Sirion, and moved his fleet there. Gil-galad, having been named the High King of the Noldor, journeyed to the Isle of Balar and dwelt there for a time, being himself in exile due to the enemy's control over most of Beleriand.

Soon thereafter, Gemlir and Arminas travelled from the Isle of Balar to their home at Nargothrond. Upon their return, they approached Ordoreth, the King of Nargothrond, with an urgent message. While on the Isle of Balar, Ulmo visited Círdan the Shipwright with a message,

"Say therefore to the Lord of Nargothrond: Shut the doors of the fortress and go not abroad. Cast the stones of your pride down into the loud river, that the creeping evil may not find the gate."

-The Silmarillion. Second Edition. 'Of Túrin Turuambar' p. 212

Ordoreth was disturbed by this dark message but Túrin, who could command as he pleased, refused to destroy the bridge leading to Nargothrond's gates. Within that year, the host of Angbad lead by Glaurung, took the plains of Tumhalad and by use of the great bridge, they besieged Nargothrond and threw it down.

Other elves fled to Círdan's refuge, including those from Gondolin, Nargothrond, Doriath, and Ossiriand. However, in the year 532, the remaining four Sons of Fëanor, still bound to their terrible Oath, assaulted the havens at the Mouth of Sirion, seeking the Silmaril in Elwing's possession. The havens were defeated, because the forces of Círdan and Gil-galad came too late to save their stronghold. Many had escaped by ship, but still there were less of them after this Third Kinslaying.

At last Eärendil made his voyage across the sea, for the purpose of gaining aid from the Valar against Morgoth. His voyage, unlike many that had been sent before him, was successful, and the War of Wrath began. The Falathrim gladly aided the host of the Vanyar and the Noldor, and the Maiar who sailed with them on the ships of the Falmari, the Elves of Olwë who dwelt in Aman. Men and Elves fought against the enemy in this, though it was Eönwë and the Valar who in the end were the great victors of the battle. In the course of this battle the Morgoth was defeated and cast into the Void, but the power the Valar wielded against the Dark Lord caused Beleriand to sink beneath the ocean. However, because of Círdan's mariners, many survived and sailed out of the ruins of Beleriand onto the shores of Middle-earth, where they would come to form the havens of Lindon and Mithlond.

The Second Age

The Second Age began with the foundation of the elven havens of Gil-galad and Círdan. The Edain, the men who had helped fight against Morgoth, were given the island of Númenor. When they were going to it, it was Círdan's Elves who made their ships and taught them how to make them so that the Númenóreans could make their own ships and become mariners themselves.

In the year 600 of the Second Age, a mariner by the name of Veantur landed in the Grey Havens, and Círdan welcomed him as a friend. Over a century later, as the Númenóreans were given long lives, Veantur returned, this time with his grandson Aldarion, who would one day become the King of Númenor. Círdan befriended him and taught him much about ships. In the years that followed, mariners continued to visit Círdan's havens, and Círdan welcomed them all as allies as he did to Veantur.

In addition to befriending the men of Númenor, he also was closely allied with Amdír of Lórien and Celebrimbor in Eregion. When the latter was visited by a being named Annatar who talked to them about creating magic rings, Círdan advised against creating them. His words were ignored, and the three elven rings were forged. Celebrimbor kept Nenya, the Ring of Water, for himself, but gave Gil-galad Vilya, the Ring of Wind, and Narya, the Ring of Fire. The latter of these was given to Círdan. When Annatar revealed that he was Sauron, Celebrimbor went to fight against him and was defeated. Celebrimbor himself was killed, and Nenya passed to the niece of Fingolfin, Galadriel.

Sauron had created a ruling Ring that could control all of the others he had given to the Dwarves and to Men. The nine men given with rings were corrupted, and became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths. Sauron grew powerful and attempted to invade Eriador. However, mariners from Númenor arrived by ship and drove Sauron back across the Misty Mountains.

After many battles against Sauron, many of which had ended in defeat for Círdan and his allies, Sauron corrupted Númenor's king, Ar-Pharazôn, and convinced him to go against the Ban of the Valar. Ar-Pharazôn sailed against the Valinor and as retribution, Númenor was sunk. Elendil escaped with his sons Isildur and Anárion and many others, and the Númenoreans landed in Mithlond and were received by Gil-galad and Círdan. They went on to create the kingdom of Arnor in the northwest of Middle-earth. Others went south and founded the kingdom of Gondor.

War began between Gondor and Mordor, and after victories and defeats on both sides, Gil-galad proposed an alliance, much like the Union of Maedhros during the previous age. The Last Alliance, as it was called, was led by Gil-galad and Elendil, though Elrond, Amdír, Oropher of Greenwood, and Círdan all fought alongside them. Their armies marched across Middle-Earth to fight Sauron. In Gondor they were aided by Isildur and Anárion, who had been defending Gondor valiantly.

After making their way through Mordor, they besieged Barad-dûr for seven years, until at last Sauron himself entered the battle and forced the Last Alliance back several leagues, so that in the end they did battle not outside Barad-dûr, but on the slopes of Orodruin, where Sauron's ring had been forged. Gil-galad, despite the his skill and his prowess with his spear, Aiglos, was slain in battle.

Elendil was slain in battle and his son Isildur took the hilt of his broken sword. With it, he severed Sauron's finger, and because of the loss of the One Ring, Sauron was defeated. Isildur took the Ring and chose to keep it, for it had corrupted and possessed him. Círdan and Elrond advised that the Ring should be cast into Orodruin and destroyed, but Isildur ignored them and kept it, and made ready to return to Arnor.

The Third Age

In the first days of the Third Age, Isildur planted the White Tree of Gondor, then made to travel on by way of the Gladden Fields. He was killed there, for orcs remained in the lands around Mordor. The Ring fell into the River Anduin and was lost for the next 2500 years. Yet the years were relatively peaceful, and the elves of Lindon came under the sole lordship of Círdan.

As the Ring and Sauron still existed, the Valar sent emissaries to help the people of Middle-earth in their fight against Sauron. They decided to send three of the Maiar to carry out this task. Aulë chose Curumo, or Saruman, as one, Oromë sent Alatar, and Manwë sent Olórin, or Gandalf. A fourth, Aiwendil or Radagast, was also chosen, and in the end a fifth, Pallando, was chosen. They went to Middle-earth and were received by Círdan, who alone knew their purpose and kept it secret. Although Curumo was their leader, Círdan perceived that Gandalf was of them the most wise and powerful, and secretly gave him Narya, the Ring of Fire, and told him this:

"Take this ring, Master, for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you."

-Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," p. 366

With the Ring, Gandalf left Mithlond with the others. Three hundred years after the coming of the Wizards, or Istari, a new danger threatened the borders of Lindon and Arnor. The Lord of the Nazgûl built Angmar, a new stronghold in the north of the Misty Mountains, and from there fought Dúnedain and Lindon. Although Círdan's elves played a somewhat small role in the first years of the battles that took place between the Witch-king and the Dúnedain, in 1409 of the Third Age, Círdan's forces in Lindon helped to defeat the armies of Angmar which had been besieging Fornost after their victory at Amon Sûl. Angmar was defeated, and no more war was fought for a short time.

Many more battles were fought in the years that followed, and Arthedain, the last standing province of Arnor, was invaded. Its king, Arvedui, fled north, and Círdan sent ships to rescue him. Though the ships found Arvedui, they were lost at sea during a storm, losing both the king and the two palantíri that he had escaped with. Arvedui's son, Aranarth, became the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain.

However, though the Lord of the Nazgûl, who was also the Witch-king of Angmar, defeated the Dúnedain, it was Aranarth's reign that would see the end of Angmar. The defeat would come from Mithlond, from a fleet of ships sent by Eärnur from Gondor. The Gondorians, along with elves of Círdan's folk and the Dúnedain, rode out to meet the Witch-king in what would come to be known as the Battle of Fornost. There they were joined by the elf warrior Glorfindel, who commanded his own small army as well. There they defeated the Witch-king, and drove him away, and there it was that Glorfindel made his prophecy concerning that fell creature.

“Do not pursue him! He will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall.”

Círdan agreed and returned to Mithlond in victory. Meanwhile, Sauron's Nazgûl had returned to Mordor, and many feared that Sauron's return was imminent. Those who had grown tired of Middle-earth chose to travel to the Grey Havens, where Círdan maintained ships that could sail them safely to Tol Eressëa and Valinor. Of them, only one ship never left harbour. That ship was a large ship, perhaps larger than any other he had built, and made entirely of fine white wood. He maintained this ship with the purpose of upholding the promise he had made to Gandalf upon the shores at his arrival.

After the fall of the Dúnedain, Círdan was entrusted with the palantír of Elostirion, the west-looking stone that could not see into the other six stones around Middle-earth, but could see Tol Eressëa and the Master Stone in the Tower of Avallone. From there perhaps Círdan gained much knowledge from the elves that could see into all of the palantíri, and knew much of the enemy's movements.

With the threat of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, the White Council was formed, led by Saruman. Others who came included Gandalf, Galadriel and Celeborn, and Elrond, who came with Erestor and Glorfindel, his counsellors and advisors in both peace and war. Círdan was among them too, together with the elf Galdor. Thranduil or Legolas may have also been among them.Template:ME-fact

The purpose of the White Council was to expel the Necromancer, who they thought to be one of the Nazgûl, but who Gandalf learned to be Sauron himself. They succeeded in driving him away, and he fled to Mordor, and for a time the Council was victorious. It is thought that the Council was broken after Gandalf's discovery of Saruman's treason, though the council members remained in frequent contact throughout the War of the Ring.

In the year 3018, the Council of Elrond was held in Rivendell. Círdan himself did not attend, but he sent his counsellor, Galdor, to speak on his behalf. Galdor's counsel there was crucial in the formation of the Ringbearer's quest, for he advised wisely that even Tom Bombadil could not keep this Ring from the enemy, though he was immune to its effects. Also, he warned that the Ring could not be sent into the West, nor cast into the Sea, for Sauron no doubt would be watching those roads closely.

Though Círdan played no part in the battles of the War of the Ring, it is possible he sent elves to join the Captains of the West under the command of Elladan and Elrohir. When at last the Ringbearer's task was carried out, and all of the Ringbearers arrived in Mithlond, Círdan was there to meet them. Elrond was among them, as were Galadriel, Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, and Frodo, the last of whom was the Ringbearer whose quest it was to throw the Ring into Orodruin. As the last of the Ringbearers boarded the ship, Círdan recalled the promise he made to Gandalf over two thousand years earlier.

In the year 1000 T.A. Círdan had said to Gandalf, "I will await you"; he had promised to remain in Middle-earth as long as Gandalf remained there. He had waited, and now Gandalf, with the others, passed across Belegaer, the ocean that separated Aman and Middle-earth. Círdan remained in Middle-earth.

The Fourth Age

The final two Ring-bearers had yet to pass across the sea, but in the year 62 of the Fourth Age, Samwise Gamgee, arrived in Mithlond, and he and Círdan sailed away on the last of the ships built in Mithlond. In the end, the words of Ulmo proved truthful as well, for he had warned Círdan not to go to Aman then, but to wait and work upon the shores of Beleriand and Middle-earth, and he had obeyed through all those long years, even though he desired to leave.

Ulmo had said to him in a dream, "Abide now that time, for when it comes then will your work be of utmost worth, and it will be remembered in song for many ages after." Círdan had sworn to obey, even though his friends had sailed ahead of him, and he had wished to follow. In return, Ulmo's were proven true.

In the movie trilogy

In the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy by Peter Jackson, Círdan briefly appears in two of the films. His role as lieutenant of Gil-galad is given to Elrond instead (Elrond was Gil-galad's herald in the books) in the first movie. Also, Círdan should be in the scene where Elrond advises Isildur to cast the ring into the fire, but he is not. He does, however, appear very briefly in Galadriel's monologue at the start of the first movie, in the very brief shot of the three elven ringbearers, and at the end of the third movie when Frodo, Galadriel, Elrond, Gandalf and Bilbo board the ship at the Grey Havens. Círdan, who is inaccurately portrayed without a beard, can be seen standing in the background.

External links

• The Encyclopedia of Arda — Círdan the Shipwright
• Cirdan at The Thain's Book